Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum
Northern barley, Northern Barley
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Berger · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum (Northern barley) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by key distinction from subsp. californicum is sheath hairiness and leaf width.
Northern barley is a California native perennial grass found in meadows, pastures, and streambanks throughout California (excluding the Desert region) at elevations below 3,400 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces small greenish-white flowers with delicate awns in compact clusters. Growing with robust stems 30 to 95 centimeters tall, it forms dense, upright clumps with smooth leaf sheaths. Its leaf blades are relatively narrow, less than 19 centimeters long and no wider than 9 millimeters, appearing glabrous or with sparse short hairs. The central spikelets feature straight glumes 7 to 17 millimeters long with short lemma awns.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species; key distinction from subsp. californicum is sheath hairiness and leaf width
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, pastures, streambanks
Elevation: < 3400 m
California counties: Yolo, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Lake, Los Angeles, Mono, Marin, Kern, El Dorado, Alpine, Monterey, Amador, Sierra, Modoc, Alameda, Inyo, Lassen, Napa, Fresno, Placer, Shasta, Solano, Stanislaus, Tehama, Trinity, Ventura, Butte, Contra Costa, Mendocino, Humboldt, Madera, Mariposa, Nevada, Glenn, Plumas, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tulare, Tuolumne, San Diego, Colusa, Merced, Del Norte, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Yuba, Sacramento
Outside California: to Alaska, western United States, Baja California
Bloom period
Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum blooms May-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Bromus: Hordeum has three spikelets per node in a spike; Bromus has separate spikelets in loose clusters.; vs Triticum: Hordeum has three spikelets per node; Triticum has one spikelet per node.; vs Taeniatherum: Hordeum has the central spikelet stalkless; check if side spikelets are stalked.; vs Setaria: Hordeum has three grouped spikelets per node; Setaria has dense bristly single spikelets.; vs Elymus: Hordeum has hollow stems; Elymus has solid stems between nodes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum native to California?
Yes. Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum bloom?
Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum grow?
Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum occurs in Yolo, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Lake, Los Angeles, Mono, Marin, Kern and other counties, at elevations of < 3400 m.
What plant family does Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum belong to?
Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum is in the Poaceae family, genus Hordeum.
What habitat does Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum grow in?
Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum grows in Meadows, pastures, streambanks.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.